ARTICLES ABOUT STEVE NASH BY DATE - PAGE 4

The Sports Xchange World Peace says he likely won't play Game 4 Los Angeles Lakers forward Metta World Peace told reporters after Friday night's loss to the San Antonio Spurs that he will probably not play on Sunday. World Peace went scoreless with no rebounds and one assist in 17 minutes of Friday's defeat. He was benched in the second half. He had fluid drained from a cyst in his left leg the morning of the game, but it is reportedly not related to the knee surgery he had in March.

The Sports Xchange By Jon Gold, The Sports Xchange Spurs 120, Lakers 89 LOS ANGELES -- The San Antonio Spurs dominated the depleted Los Angeles Lakers to take a 3-0 lead in their Western Conference playoff quarterfinal matchup with a 120-89 win on Friday night at Staples Center. Facing a Lakers squad on its last legs -- almost literally, with little-used Andrew Goudelock and Darius Morris thrust into starting backcourt roles -- the Spurs showed little mercy in breaking a six-game road playoff losing streak in Los Angeles and handing the Lakers their worst playoff loss in history.

The Sports Xchange Lakers' Nash out for Game 3 Los Angeles Lakers guard Steve Nash will not play in Friday's Game 3 against the San Antonio Spurs, Lakers head coach Mike D'Antoni told reporters. Andrew Goudelock will start at point guard in Nash's absence. Goudelock was named the MVP of the Developmental League on Thursday. Nash, 39, has missed 32 regular-season games this year and a sore back has sidelined him for much of April. He had been receiving epidural shots to help relieve the pain in his back.

By Mark Lamport-Stokes LOS ANGELES, April 26 (Reuters) - The ailing Los Angeles Lakers faced an even tougher task against the San Antonio Spurs in Friday's Game Three when veteran guard Steve Nash was ruled out shortly before the tipoff because of back and hip problems. With Nash on the sidelines, the Lakers will field the relatively inexperienced Darius Morris and Andrew Goudelock as starting guards as they bid to claw their way back from a 2-0 deficit in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series.

April 25 (The Sports Xchange) - Houston Rockets guard Jeremy Lin has a bruised right chest muscle, but no structural damage was found during tests Thursday. The Rockets listed Lin as day to day after he underwent an MRI on Thursday. He did not practice with the team during an off day in the best-of-seven NBA first-round playoff series, which resumes Saturday in Houston with Game 3. Houston trails 2-0 after losses in Oklahoma City. Lin was injured in the first half of Game 2 on Wednesday night.

SportsDirect Inc. Preview: Lakers at Spurs San Antonio Spurs big man Tim Duncan called teammate Manu Ginobili the "X-factor" entering the postseason, and the future Hall of Famer's words proved prophetic in Game 1 against the Los Angeles Lakers. Ginobili, who missed nine of the final 10 regular-season games due to a hamstring injury, scored 18 points and sparked a decisive run to help San Antonio to a 91-79 win. The Spurs will look to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-7 series Wednesday at home.

The Sports Xchange NBA roundup: Knicks' Smith wins sixth man award New York Knicks shooting guard J.R. Smith won the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award. Smith will be presented the award Monday in New York after edging the likes of Jamal Crawford (Clippers), Manu Ginobili (Spurs) and Jarrett Jack (Warriors). Smith averaged 18.1 points per game, shooting 35.6 percent from 3-point range and averaged 33.5 minutes per game, all off the bench. He also averaged 5.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game.